VPT 8 released

I just released VPT 8, over ten years after the first release of Video Projection Tools (VPT).  VPT has proven to be a popular free alternative for windows and mac users interested in projection mapping and realtime video experiments: The previous version VPT 7 was downloaded over 100000 times, 2/3 was windows users, 1/3 mac users.

VPT 8 has a lot of under the hood changes. It is now 64-bit only. It will also be the last version of VPT.

I have created an online manual which should make it easier to get started doing interesting things with your computer and a projector.

You can download and read more about new features on the VPT home page.

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Voice 2012

Seven years after our previous collaboration, Maja Ratkje and I got together for a performance in Johanneskirken in Bergen for Festspillene i Bergen this May. I created a setup using LED modules normally used in outdoor video walls which I placed in an arc behind Maja. The arc functioned both as a canvas for low resolution patterns but also a powerful light source affecting the whole church giving me an opportunity to modify the whole space by improvising with these screens.

We have been invited to perform at the Bozar Electronic Arts Festival on september 22nd  (Bozar, Brussels) and later at the Kontraste Festival in Krems in october.

Johanneskirken has probably never looked cooler from the outside:

a very short glimpse of what you might experience:

The full-length performance at the Kontraste Festival in October 2012:

VPT 6 video tutorials

45 minutes of VPT 6 tutorials now available on the VPT 6 playlist on youtube

The available tutorials

Getting Started with VPT 6 (shown above)
Learn to use the navigator and preview window
Understanding presets in VPT 6
Explore the example presets that come with VPT 6
Learn how to use the new cuelist in VPT 6
A quick introduction to using midi in VPT 6

VPT 6 available: A projection powerpack

With almost 5000 downloads of VPT 5.1, I am happy to announce that the next version of Video Projection Tools, VPT 6 is now available.

VPT is a powerful and flexible video projection tool that does much more than just mapping.

What´s new in VPT 6.0
A completely new graphical interface making it even simpler to position, scale and distort the layers.
32 layers (previously 16)
mesh distortion with variable-sized control grid.
a completely rewritten cuelist making it even simpler to create transitions and to build complex sequences. You can now also send osc formatted commands directly from the cuelist.
crop-scaling of sources.
increased syphon support with two syphon (crop-scalable) inputs as well as syphon output support (mac only)
a DMX module has been added, with support for Enttecs usbdmx pro interface, enabling both control of VPT from DMX light consoles, or the possibillity to control dmx devices from VPT.

VPT still supports mac and windows, and it is still free. However, I have added the option for contributions through paypal:

VPT 6 is made possible through the support of IMAL in Brussels and Atelier Nord in Oslo.

IMAL offered me a one month residency in april to give a VPT workshop and to do an exhibition.

Atelier Nord has supported me twice this year: First they hosted a workshop as part of Oslo Lux in January which ended up in a VPT 5.1 release, and in june they gave me a week residency to write documentation for VPT 5.5 which instead turned into intense development of VPT 6.

So hosting workshops and inviting me to residencies is another way of supporting my work.

Read more about VPT 6 and try it out

VPT 5.5 preview

(update: VPT 5.5 turned into VPT 6 before it got released, and can be expected very soon)

I am busy finishing the upcoming release of VPT 5.5, and wanted to share a few of the new features.

One major addition is the possibillity to perform mesh distortion to each layer, giving you even more flexibility over the projected output.

The control interface gives you control over each point in the mesh.

Syphon is becoming an important tool for sharing image data between applications on Mac osX, supporting more and more applications (there is now a more or less working Processing implementation as well).

VPT already impemented syphon-in capabilities with version 5, but with version 5.5 there is more:

You can record the output from VPT using the Syphon Recorder App.

You can use different parts of the incoming Syphon image data in different layers: Using your favourite syphon-enabled application you can tile your output so that VPT split up the single syphon source into multiple sources.

For instance, if your syphon-app sends out something like this:

VPT can either use the whole image or split it up into four individual layers:

There are plenty of other improvements, which will be covered when it is released.

For VPT 5.5 I finally get the possibillity to make proper video tutorials, as Atelier Nord has generously offered me a one week residency to do this.

Expected release date: mid-June.

As always, free (with the possibility to donate).

btw, about 3500 people have downloaded VPT 5.1

Two new works

I have made two new works for my exhibition at IMAL, which is my first solo show in Belgium (29.04-22.05.2011).

As in my recent installations blink and split I am interested in relating directly to the architecture of the exhibition space. The main IMAL space is about 200m2 with a grid of 12 columns.  The circular discs are freestanding sound modules (five in total) placed on the floor. A slowly-paced sequence of projection and sound transforms the space into a contemplative environment.

The other installation explores through projection,light and reflection the inside,outside and perimeter of a circle mounted at a 90 degree angle to the floor. This is a first in a series of work creating dynamic volumes out of precisely cut flat shapes (in this case using a cnc mill).

For more images (also in print quality) from both installations take a look at my flickr set from the exhibition.

Results from openLAB exhibition at IMAL

openLAB exhibition – Quentin Gubin, Luz Diaz & Filip Daniels (BE) : Zoning en suspension, originally uploaded by iMAL.org.

In beginning of April IMAL hosted an openLAB workshop called “Projections on forms and spaces”.
The workshop was led by me and was mainly based on using VPT. We selected 7 projects to be realised during one week development at IMAL, and the documentation is now available from IMAL.

It was an intense and interesting week, and interesting to see VPT explored for new uses in installation and performances. A new development for me was to introduce a simple video and audio trigger setup (available in the xtension section), which allowed for some audience interaction, as well as use of the serial module for controlling lights inside sculptures.

VPT 5.1 available

After nearly 2500 downloads of the first version of Video Proejction Tools VPT 5 released in december 2010, I am happy to announce the new version 5.1, partly based on feedback from workshops and the VPT forum.

The release focuses on all the possibilities to expand and customize VPT to be the right tool for your particular project.

This includes a vastly improved controller section, making it possible to control almost every feature of VPT from another application (like maxmsp, processing and PD), computer, sensors through the arduino microcontroller, midicontroller as well as built in lfo controllers for automating control and software sliders and buttons. This comes on top of the already existing built-in preset and cuelist system for playback. Through OSC, VPT parameters can relatively easy be controlled by gestures, using camera or kinect tracking.
You can easily set up VPT to control simple projector shutters by controlling servomotors using the arduino module.

Templates are provided with the download for exploring OSC on maxmsp and Processing, PD will follow later. Arduino templates for input/output as well as a servo example is also included with the download.

VPT can be used with multiple projectors using Matrox Triplehead2go, and the latest version also includes support for multichannel sound: The movie sources can be individually routed to up to eight channels, depending on your sound card. Using the provided maxmsp template it is possible to process the sound further.

VPT 5.1 includes a new possibillity of processing the sources using the FX bus. The FX bus consists of eight FX chains, modules which contains shader based effects. New FX chain modules can easily be made using the provided maxmsp/jitter template, and can be dragndropped onto the existing FX chain to replace it, making it easy to customize the effects to your particular need.

Three new sources have been added to VPT: A solid (if you just want a colour in a layer), a noise texture generator and a text module which can either use text from file, osc or typed text. A maxmsp/jitter template is also provided if you want to create your own source.

Read more about VPT 5.1 and download it here

Read the online manual

Visit the VPTforum

VPT templates and examples for maxmsp/jitter, PD, Processing and Arduino

VPT is a free multipurpose realtime projection sofware tool for Mac and Windows developed by HC Gilje. Among other things it can be used for projecting video on complex forms, adapt a projection to a particular space/surface, combine recorded and live footage, or for multiscreen HD playback.

VPT 5 released!

Version 5 of Video Projection Tools is now available as a public beta.

Read all about it and download it from the new VPT page.

 

On a side note, this is the last day for the Theatre performance “Fuglane” which has been a big hit and has played for about 10000 people at Trøndelag Teater. I used an early version of the new VPT for this project.

This week the blog passed 250000 visitors.

Fuglane-behind the scenes

I have uploaded some images from the process of constructing the landscape for the Fuglane scenography, you can see it here as a slideshow.

I started off with a plastelina model (which I don´t feel like sharing with the world), and then continued with a google sketchup 3D model.  I  then got the model milled in styrofoam to use as the presentation model of the scenography. Later the 3d model was converted into technical drawings used by the skilled carpenters at the theatre to build a full scale version (about 10mx7m, the highest top about 1.6m). It was then covered by a material to make it more suitable as a projection surface.

I used a total of 4 projectors, two from above, one frontal, and one for the back wall. I used two macminis with matrox dualhead- to-go splitters and a customised version of my projection software VPT (not unlike the upcoming release).
Everything was controlled from the lighting console of the theatre, using an enttec dmx usb pro interface combined with Olaf Matthes excellent max externals.